Call Me Crazy
by sassyfiestycrazychic
Summary: Katara Winter has always thought of Zuko Agni as the school bad boy and nothing else. But after befriending him, she learns he has a dark secret and is determined to figure it out. But will it lead to answers or just more questions? AU.
1. Prologue  It all started with pancakes

**A/N: Ok first I have to say how this story started. I was sitting one day and wanted to write but didn't know what to write about so I just started typing up the first chapter. About half way through I got inspired so sorry if the first chapter isn't that good but I promise it will get better. Here are the ages.**

**Katara and Zuko: Junior, 16**

**Aang and Toph: Sophomore, 15**

**Sokka and Suki: Senior, 17**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA or any of the songs mentioned.**

Katara's POV

I sighed as I looked at myself in the full-length mirror. It's the first day of my junior year. The same as every first day, your nervous but kind of excited at the same time. Looking at my outfit I smiled. I was wearing my favorite blue Paramore tee with a pair of super tight skinny jeans. I had my wavy dark chocolate brown hair up in a neat ponytail with my bangs swept to the side. As I walked out my room and down the stairs to the kitchen, I saw my brother Sokka stuffing his face with pancakes.

"Save some for me", I joked as I sat down at the table with him. I smiled as Gran-Gran came and sat a plate in front of me. "Thank you."

"No problem. Although the two of you might want to hurry up. The bus comes in 10 minutes."

Hearing that I mimicked Sokka, stuffing food into my mouth. Before I knew I had finished, looking up at the clock to see I had five more minutes. Rushing, I ran to the door and slipped on my black converse. Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I walked outside with Sokka following behind me. "Bye Gran-Gran!" I raced down the sidewalk, making it to the bus stop right as it pulled up. Walking on I continued to the back of the bus, seeing my friends Aang, Toph and Suki already in their seats.

"Hey Sugar Queen", said Toph. "Is it just me or did someone gain a little weight over the summer?" She grinned as she watched me panic, looking down at myself frantically.

"That's so not even funny!" I said trying to sound angry but laughing instead. Smiling, I sat across from her and Aang while Sokka sat down next to Suki, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"We all know your trying to get Haru back", she said, referring to my ex boyfriend.

"I told you we broke up because it was awkward and we were better off just being friends.

"Uh. Right", she said shrugging. "_Baby please don't go, if I wake up tomorrow will you still be here_", she sang. I groaned as Aang joined her. "_I don't know, if you feel the way I do, if you leave I'm goin find you baby please don't go go, go go, baby please don't go go, go go, baby please don't go go, go go, baby please don't, baby please don't."_

Luckily for me we had reached school. They finally stopped singing as we all got off. I smiled as I saw all my old friends and how they had changed. _This year is going to be great_, I thought to myself. Everything seemed perfect. I had already received my schedule in the mail and I had all of my favorite classes. My great mood was crushed when I heard the sound of a motorcycle pulling up in the student parking lot. Turning around I watched as Zuko, the notorious 'bad boy' of the school, took off his helmet, shaking his shaggy black hair. I found myself mesmerized as he walked to the front doors of the school, every step filled with confidence. So mesmerized I didn't pay attention to where I was going.

"I'm so sorry!" I said as I bumped into him. He turned to me with anger in his eyes that died down the slightest bit when he saw who it was.

"Yeah well just watch where you're going next time", he growled as he walked into school and down the hallway. I stood there staring, even after he was out of my sight.

"Hey, what was that all about?" my over protective said as he walked up behind me. I groaned, knowing what his reaction would be no matter what I said to him.

"Nothing, I just bumped into him." I felt the tension radiate off of him.

"Well be careful, you don't want to get involved with people like him", he said as he walked off towards his homeroom with Suki. Toph and Aang both left too, leaving me standing along. I didn't notice the time until the warning bell rang. I quickly hurried down the hall to my first period, science. I walked into the classroom just as the bell rang.

"Ah, nice of you to join us", said Mr. Kuei as I took the only available seat, which just happened to be right next to Zuko.

"Okay class, first things first", said the teacher. "As you know, I'm Mr. Kuei. Welcome to 11th grade. If we all cooperate this will be a enjoyable year. The person sitting next to you will be your lab partner for the rest of the semester, so I hope you chose wisely." I inwardly groaned. "Let's start the year off by getting to know each other." He passed out papers with a bunch of questions like our interest and stuff. Being the student I am, I was one of the first to finish. I quickly cast a glance at Zuko, who had also finished and was staring out into space.

Suddenly he turned to look at me. "Did you eat pancakes this morning?" I was taken aback by his question and momentarily fazed.

"Why do you care?" I asked, trying to sound like I don't care but failing.

"Just wondering why I smelled pancakes. At first I thought I was going crazy", he said with a hint of a smile. "But in this case, I guess you smell nice."

Confused, I turned back to look down at my desk and began doodling on my notebook. One minute he's all pouty and mad at me, the next he's telling me I smell like pancakes? I'm not even sure if that's a compliment! Even as the teacher picked up our papers and started talking to the class about lab rules, I was still lost in thought. After what seemed like seconds, I was jolted out of my thoughts by the bell rang. Grabbing my things, I quickly walked out the door to my next class so I wouldn't be late. The rest of my classes were pretty much the same, utterly boring. I sighed with relief as the lunch bell rang. I was so happy that lunch was 45 minutes this year. It gave us more time to talk and finish homework that we were too lazy to do the night before.

As I walked into the lunchroom I looked around until I saw Sokka, Suki, Aang and Toph all sitting together at a table near the back. Excited to talk to them, I hurriedly jumping into the lunch line, practically bouncing in anticipation. I was in such a rush I didn't pay attention to where I was going. As I turned around to walk to the table, I ran into some kid, nearly knocking him over as my tray started to fall towards the floor. _Oh no, not again,_ I thought as I closed my eyes, waiting to hear the tray hitting the floor and the complaints from a student that probably was covered in food. But I didn't. Cautiously, I opened my eyes to see Zuko standing there, my tray in his hands, everyone walking around as if nothing had happened.

"Here you go", he said as he handed my food towards me. "You should really watch where you're going, I wouldn't want you getting hurt", he said, laughing lightly. Yes, the Zuko Agni, _laughing. _Bewildered, I took my tray from him, absolutely speechless as I nodded. I watched as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "Here, can you text me later? You know, since we're going to be partners for the rest of the semester I thought we might as well get to know each other", he said, handing me the paper.

"Sure thing", I said, taking it out of his hand and outing it in my pocket. "Later." I turned around at started walking towards my friends, questions racing through my mind. What was that all about? Why does he suddenly want to talk to me? When I sat down at the table without saying hi, Sokka knew something was up.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. What do you know about Zuko Agni?"

"I know that he's not someone you should be hanging out with. I thought I told you to stay away from him", he scolded. "From what I hear he's got a pretty bad record. I've always wondered how he got that scar."

Giving up, I started eating my food in silence, laughing wheever someone told a joke or funny story. Before I knew it, lunch was over and it was time to head to my next class, which was History. I walked into the room to see Zuko sitting in the back. Quietly I walked over and sat next to him.

"Hey", he said when he noticed me. "I realized o forgot to get your number." Taking out a piece of paper, I jotted down my number and passed it to him hesitantly as the teacher stepped up to the front of the room. The whole entire room automatically silenced.

"Hello class", said the teacher. "I'm Ms. Lee. The first rule you should know is no note passing." The whole entire class groaned in protest. "Anyone caught passing notes will have an automatic detention", she continued. I zoned out for the rest of class until the bell rang. Happily, I skipped to gym, glad that it was the last class of the day. I'm pretty sure the first day of gym is the only day it's not even remotely fun. The teachers at our school are awesome. All we almost ever do is play games like dodge ball. It also helps that I'm pretty athletic. When I noticed Zuko was in my class, I inwardly smiled. For some reason I was happy about it, yet I shouldn't be. Sokka told me to stay away from him so I should listen. Although when has Sokka ever been right?

"Ah, Ms. Katara Winter is in my class this year", said Coach Pakku as he took attendance. "And of course you'll be joining the swim team again this year, right?" I nodded excitedly as he went back to calling names. As cool as he was, he still had to give the normal first day of school rules to the class. As soon as the final bell rang, I ran out the gym and outside toward the buses, trying to beat Toph. Ever since she started high school with me, we've had this odd friendly completion where we would try and get on the bus before the other. I groaned as I walked on to see her already sitting in her seat.

"I win again", she said in triumph.

"There's always tomorrow, Toph", I said, sitting in the seat across from her. Pulling out my phone, I decided to text Zuko.

**Katara: Hey**

**Zuko: Wuz up?**

**Katara: Nutin much. Just sittin on da bus bored to death**

**Zuko: lol. Thts why I ride my motorcycle**

**Katara: rite. You know you wanna look baaaadddd!**

**Zuko: u know it ;) that and my sexy leather jacket!**

I laughed out loud as I read his response. We barely knew each other yet he could already make me laugh.

"What's so funny?" Sokka asked suspiciously, making me notice him for the first time. I quickly closed my phone so he wouldn't see the text.

"Nothing. Just laughing at this forward I got." I could tell he didn't believe me but he turned around anyway. As I looked out the window I realized that the bus had already left school. As we drove down the street, I saw Zuko's motorcycle pass by and smiled. I stayed that way until I walked through the front door of my house. By that time, Sokka had already noticed and was staring at me strangely.

"Are you okay?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I couldn't be better", I said happily as I practically skipped up the stairs to my room. As I plopped onto my bed, I felt my phone vibrate. It was a text from Zuko.

**Zuko: wat r we gonna do about tht project for science?**

**Katara: wat? **

**Zuko: the partner one where we hav to make a poster for da safety rules**

**Zuko: o wait were u even listening?**

**Katara:…..maybe…..no…**

**Zuko: lol its ok. It's not due til Thursday. Wanna meet at my place tomorrow after school?**

**Katara: sure**

**Zuko: kk g2g bye**

Sighing, I curled up on my bed, excited about tomorrow. As I sat there thinking about what I was going to tell her brother, I remembered something earlier. Zuko had said I smelled like pancakes. Who can smell that on someone? Pushing the thought aside, I fell into a deep sleep, despite the growing pit of hunger in my stomach.

"Katara, wake up!" I heard Sokka yell from the other side of the door. I opened my eyes and looked at the clock. I jumped out of bed as I realized that the bus came in 45 minutes. Running to the bathroom, I quickly took a shower and ran back to my room. Putting on the first thing I pulled out of my closet, I look at myself in the mirror. I had on a short white denim skirt with a navy blue tank top layered over a white one. Putting my hair up in a messy but cute bun, I rushed downstairs, shoving a piece of toast in my mouth.

"Slow down before you choke", said Gran-Gran. Following her orders, I started to take agonizingly slow bites until I had swallowed the last bit. Running to the door, I slipped my navy blue flip flops, as I grabbed my backpack.

"Bye Gran-Gran!" I yelled back before dashing down the sidewalk just in time to run onto the bus. Panting, I sat down in my seat and stared out the window, finally relaxing. Toph and Aang were having an intense conversation while Sokka and Suki whispered back and forth in each others ears, Suki letting out the occasional giggle. As we pulled up to the school, I walk off the bus smiling when I saw Zuko's motorcycle pull up. When he saw me, he walked over with a wide grin across his face.

"Hey. Are you going to listen during class today?" he asked smugly.

"You know it", I said, giving him a defiant grin. I was glad that Sokka wasn't near, but that quickly changed when I saw a familiar boy with messy brown hair walk towards me. It was Jet, the one guy every girl in the school would do anything to go on a date with, let alone talk to. Some girls thought I was lucky just for the fact that he knew my name, but the truth is that every girl who dated him ended up getting their heart broken.

"Hide me", I muttered as he continued to walk towards us. "Uh, quick I need a distraction."

"What? What are you-" he didn't get to finish his sentence before he was cut off by my lips pressed to his. I don't know what made me do it, but I didn't have any other options. He was tense until I reach my hands up and put them around his neck, pinching him in the progress. Getting the hint, he relaxed and wrapped his arms around my waist. I don't know how long we stood like that until I heard someone clear their throat lightly. Pulling apart, we both turned to look at Jet.

"Hey Katara", he said casually in his usual smooth voice. "I was going to ask if you would like to hang out, but I see that's not going to happen", he said glaring at Zuko. "How long have you guys been together?"

'Two months", I answered automatically.

"Well, I hope you two are happy." With that he walked away, a slight trace of anger in his steps. I pulled away from Zuko, heat rising to my face. I looked down in embarrassment and noticed my shirt covered in dog hair.

"I didn't know you had a dog." Zuko looked at me puzzled.

"I don't", he said simply. I was going to argue when he spoke again before I could even open my mouth. "Strawberry Mango."

"What?"

"You use Strawberry Mango scented shampoo", he said in the same tone. I was completely an utterly confused. After he said this it dawned on me that I forgot to shampoo my hair this morning, I was in such a rush. That meant I hadn't used it in at least 24 hours. There was no possible way anyone could've smelled it. Before I could protest, he wrapped an arm around my waist. "Come on, we don't want to be late", he said into my ear, guiding me down the hallways.

As we walked, I came to a conclusion. Sokka was wrong about Zuko. There was no way he could be a bad kid. But I did know one thing for sure: he definitely wasn't normal.

**Suspenseful, no? Review and tell me what you think! I know this chapter was kind of boring but it's the first chapter, when has the first chapter ever been that good? Come one, press the button. You know you want to…. XD**


	2. Full Moon

**A/N: Here's chapter 2! And please review! This is actually a story that I want to pursue but I need encouragement! Also, my cousin, **_**pieisdabeesknees**_**, is making plans with me about becoming my beta. She was also my first reviewer. Anyways, on with the story!**

Katara's POV

Before I knew it the final bell was ringing. Grabbing my things I rushed out the classroom, pushing my way through the crowd until I reached my locker. Throwing my locker open, I shoved all my books inside, double checking to make sure I had all my homework.

"Someone's in a hurry", said a familiar voice. I looked behind the door of my locker to see Zuko standing there, casually leaning on the locker next to mine.

"Hey", I said. "I just want to beat the rush so we aren't stuck in the crowds."

"No worries", he said, slamming my locker shut as I closed my bag. "We have plenty of time to get to my house and work on the project. What time did you say you had to be home by again?"

I was about to answer when it dawned on me that I hadn't told Sokka I was going to Zuko's house. "Crap!" I yelled as I raced down the hallways with Zuko right behind. I slammed open the front doors, startling a few people. I raced down the sidewalk just in time to see Zuko about to get on the bus.

"Sokka! Wait!" I yelled, rushing towards him. He stopped and looked at me, cocking his head slightly. "I forgot to tell you I'm going to Zuko's house to work on a project. Can you tell Gran-Gran for me?" He stared at me skeptically for a few seconds before answering.

"Okay", he said simply before walking onto the bus. I turned around to see Zuko waiting for me. As soon as I reached him we walked across the parking lot until we reached his shiny black motorcycle.

"I'm riding that?" I ask in bewilderment. He smirks.

"It's okay if you're scared. You'll be holding on to me the whole time."

"I'm not scared, I've just never rode a motorcycle before", I said, my cheeks turning a deep scarlet.

"Okie-dokie", he said, handing me a helmet. I confidently put it on as he sat down. I took a deep breath before silently climbing on behind him without hesitation. Smiling, he revved the engine as I wrapped my arms around his waist. "Hold on tight", he said.

The next thing I know we're zipping along the pavement, the wind blowing my hair back. I couldn't help but let out a shrill squeal as he sped up when we had left the school parking lot. I could practically hear him smirk at me. I watched as the world sped by me in a blur, subconsciously gripping his waist. After about five minutes, I realized that I had gotten over the shock and was actually enjoying myself. I was surprised when I felt myself become disappointed when we finally stopped, pulling up to his house. Climbing off, I gave back the helmet.

"I actually really enjoyed the ride", I said, smiling.

"Maybe I can teach you how to ride", he said, returning the smile.

"Maybe", I said. Following him to the door, I waited as he took out his key and worked on the lock.

"Ladies first", he said, holding the door open for me. I walked in to see a set of stairs leading to the top floor. To both sides of me there was a hallway, with a dining room to my right. I assumed both of the hallways wrapped around and made one full circle.

"You can go on", he said. "My room is the second door to the right. I'll be right up."

Walking up stairs, I followed his directions until we reached his room. It looked like every teenage boy's room, although it wasn't as messy as I thought it would be. I set my stuff down my the door and walked to a desk in the corner. Sitting down, I noticed a sketch pad. Opening it, I saw some of the most amazing drawings. The one that stood out the most though was one with a tiger on it, only the tiger's fur had flame patterns on it. I could literally see every single hair on it's body.

"Cookies?" Zuko said as he walked in, carrying a plate. I quickly obliged, grabbing one as soon as he sat down in front of me.

Munching on cookies, we got to work. Every five minutes, our thoughts would wander and we would start a conversation about something completely unrelated. Surprising we still got a lot done. We continued to have idle chit chat until a thought struck me.

"Where are your parents?" I asked. He looked at me, seeming hesitant to answer but did anyway.

"Well, my mom dies when I was still a little kid. My dad's always favored my little sister Azula. Me and my dad have had some…issues in the past. That's why I live with my uncle Iroh. He owns a teashop downtown and he's working late today."

Sensing this was a touchy subject, I didn't press on and we went back to work. Before I knew it it was 5:00, which meant it was time for him to take me home. As I climbed back onto the back of his motorcycle, I found myself thinking about what he told me about his dad. What type of problems did they have? We zoomed down the streets until we reached my house. I realized he only lived a few streets away.

"Bye. See you tomorrow", I said as I walked to the front door. With a silent wave he was off. I stared until he was out of my view completely. Sighing, I opened the door to find Sokka standing there waiting for me.

"What took you so long?" he asked suspiciously, his arms crossed.

"I was at Zuko's house remember?"

"For three hours?" he asked, frowning.

"Uh, yeah. We actually wanted to get something done. He's a good kid, Sokka."

"Sure. Come on, it's time for dinner." We walked into the kitchen where I found Gran-Gran waiting. As we sat and ate, there was an awkward silence. Every now and then I caught Sokka glaring at me from the corner of my eye. I was so relieved when dinner was finally over. Running up the stairs, I rushed into the bathroom before Sokka. Whenever he goes in, he stays in there for at least an hour. Smiling as the hot water of the shower flowed over my skin, I felt relaxed. By the time I stepped out of the bathroom and into my room, all the days stress had melted away. Putting on my pajamas, I slipped into bed.

As I lay there, I stared up at the full moon through my window. Rays of white light streamed in, making my whole body glow. My attention was drawn away when I saw something emerge from the woods behind the house. As I looked closer, I realized it was a wolf. It's fur was as dark as night, it's eyes glowing in the moonlight. As it turned it's head towards me, I swear it looked me straight in the eyes, as if saying hello. Suddenly it's ears shot up as if hearing something and it turned it's head up toward the moon, letting out a loud howl. With one last glance at me, it wandered back into the forest. For some odd reason I found myself smiling slightly at the strange encounter. Snuggling deeper into the sheets, I let sleep take over me.

**Sorry it's really short. I was going to make it longer but I decided to put what I was going to write in the next chapter. And if you think it's kind of strange they have a project on the first week of school, it's not. I had to do the same thing on my first week only it wasn't in partners and we only had one day. Also, the song Toph and Aang were singing in the first chapter is Please Don't Go by Mike Posner. REVIEW!**


	3. Decode

**A/N: Here's my next chapter! Thanks for all the reviews! Keep em' comin'! And **_**pieisdabeesknees, **_**I hate you. And you're wrong. Way wrong.**

**You'll know I own ATLA when the clouds turn into cotton candy.**

Katara's POV

I woke up to the sun streaming through the window as my alarm clock went off. Stretching, I crawled out of bed, letting a huge yawn escape my lips. Feeling drowsy, I sluggishly went through my morning routine, thinking about what happened last night. It wasn't strange seeing a wolf, but the behavior of it was. I'd never seen a wolf like it anywhere. Walking downstairs to eat breakfast, I ran into Sokka, who had just walked out of his bedroom. I was about to continue downstairs when he stopped me.

"Listen Katara, I'm really sorry about last night. I totally overreacted", he said, his voice filled with sincerity.

"It's okay", I said.

"Thanks. I just don't want anything to happen to my baby sister. I hope you can understand that."

Smiling, we made our way downstairs to find the kitchen empty. Realizing Gran Gran must still be sleep, we walked over to the cupboard to get a box of cereal. As we ate in silence, I became drowned in my thoughts again. Where did the wolf come from? Part of me thought that I was just going crazy and should just forget about it, but the other part of me said not to. Something about it felt important. Before I had long to ponder this thought, a voice shook me out of my thoughts.

"Katara, come on!" yelled Sokka. "We're going to be late!"

Putting my bowl in the sink, I grabbed my things and hurried out the door behind Sokka. We reached the bus stop right as it pulled up. Walking on, I noticed Toph sitting alone.

"Where's Aang?"

"He's out sick." Even though she tried not to sound disappointed, I could still hear the sadness in her voice. Feeling bad, I decided to sit next to her. 'Thanks Sugar Queen", she said, smiling up at me. Taking my iPod out, we listened to it in silence until we reached to school.

Excitedly, I jumped off to see Zuko's motorcycle already in the parking lot. Running inside, I hurried down the halls until I reached the classroom. Smoothing down my wind-blown hair, I calmly walked inside to see Zuko sitting at the desk with his head bent over something.

"Hi", I said.

"Hi", he said, without looking up from what he was doing. Walking over, I sat down in the seat next to him, causing him to finally look up at me. What I saw almost made me gasp. His hair was messier that usual. His eyes, which were normally bright with light, were dim and tired. Under his eyes there were small little dark rings.

"What happened?" I asked in shock.

"Nothing, I just didn't get much sleep last night." He looked back down to what he was doing and as I followed his gaze, I saw that he was drawing in his sketchbook. Before I could get a good look at the drawing, he slammed the book shut and slipped it into his back pack. Sitting up straighter, he looked up at the board.

"So, when she we meet up again for our project?' I asked, trying to start a conversation.

"I don't know", he said bluntly.

"Maybe Saturday", I suggested.

"Sure", he said in the same tone. I frowned. What was his problem?

"You know, I was thinking-" I started to say, but was cut off.

"Look, let's just get the project over with, okay?" he said, his voice tinted with anger. Turning back to the board, he pretended to read it, but I knew he wasn't. I instantly thought of the song I was listening to on the bus. It fit this situation perfectly right now.

_How did we get here?_

_I used to know you so well_

_How did we get here?_

_I think I know_

_I think I know…_

I couldn't believe it. We had went from talking and laughing, to this. What happened? Was it something I said? Hearing the tardy bell, I turned to the front of the class. Looking up at the board, I saw there was an assignment. Taking out my notebook, I began writing, but failed to focus. No matter how hard I tried, I was constantly doodling on the side or looking out the window. I practically jumped out of my chair when the bell rang. Hurrying out the room, I shuffled down the hallway without looking back at Zuko once.

Classes continued until it was finally lunch. Walking into the cafeteria, I looked around without seeing Zuko anywhere. Sighing with relief, I walked over to our table where Toph, Sokka and Suki were sitting. I sat down and ate my lunch in silence until I felt eyes on me. Glancing up I noticed everyone staring at me quietly.

"What?" I asked, looking at each of their faces individually. We stared back in forth until Toph finally spoke up.

"You seem distant. Are you feeling okay?" she asked with genuine concern in her voice.

"Of course I am", I said, lying through my teeth. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"No need to get all defensive. Just wondering if maybe you have what Twinkle Toes does."

"Well, I don't so you can go back to eating." With that everyone looked back down at their food and continued talking amongst themselves. Finishing my lunch, I got up and walked to the door, deciding to leave before the bell so I could beat the rush. Strolling through the hallway, I looked at the classrooms. It feels like it's been more than three days. I can tell that this is going to be a long year.

Reaching the classroom, I walked in to find I was the first one there. But that didn't last long for right after I sat down, the bell rang and was shortly followed by a crowd of students. Before long the teacher had sprung into a long lecture. To my dislike, I found that the rest of my classes were met with another extremely boring lecture. When it finally came time for P.E., I changed my clothes quickly and walked outside. Today we were running laps, one of my favorite things to d in gym. I was about to step on to the track when someone zipped past me, making a breeze that blew my hair. Startled, I jumped back. The person finally stopped and turned around, walking back in my direction. To my surprise, I realized it was Zuko.

"Wow!" I said. "I didn't know you were such a fast runner!"

He kept walking, ignoring my completely.

"What is your problem!" I yell. "One day your nice to me, the next you completely ignoring me! If you have a problem with me, just say it!"

"I don't have a problem with you", he said quietly, his back to me.

"Then what is it then? Are you some mental person?" He turned on me, scaring me so much I almost shrieked I surprise.

"Listen. You need to just back off. Maybe I don't like you breathing down my neck every chance you get. I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with you. This has _nothing_ to do with you! So just go away!" My the time he finished yelling, he was panting.

Exasperated, I turned around and raced down the track, my long brown hair flying behind me. I kept running until the coach said to stop. As I sat alone on the bus home, I wanted to cry. I shouldn't thought. I barely knew him, yet I felt so strongly for him. Sighing, I sat staring out the window, hoping, no praying that tomorrow would be better.

**Ugh I personally hated that chapter. I don't want to make it go to fast. I'm trying to figure out how to make it flow and it's absolutely frustrating. And the song I mentioned was Decode by Paramore. I was listening to it and I thought it fit perfectly. Also, listen to the song E.T by Katy Perry. That song totally summarizes this story. Don't forget to review!**


	4. Dog Days are Over

**A/N: I LOVED ALL THE REVIEWS I GOT! It felt so good to open my inbox and see all these Favorites/Alerts/Reviews emails. I don't know if I mentioned this before, but Toph isn't blind in this story. I may make her blind later, I don't know. But as of now, she isn't. And also, it's all going to be in Katara's POV unless I say otherwise. But anyway thanks for all the reviews!**

_**Pieisdabeesknees: **_**You're right I am rude. Just remember that on Christmas morning when we open gifts….**

**Disclaimer: How many times do we have to go through this? I don't and will never own ATLA!**

I sighed as I lay on the couch. It was Friday afternoon and Zuko hadn't talked to me since Wednesday and he wasn't at school today or yesterday. How does he expect us to finish what little we have left of our project if he won't even talk to me? I was jolted out of my thoughts when I heard my phone ringing. Checking the caller ID I saw it was Zuko. Sighing, I hesitantly answered the phone.

"Hello?" I said annoyed.

"Katara, I am so sorry! I didn't mean to be rude it's just-"

"Stop", I interrupted. "I'm not really in the mood to talk to you right now."

"Please just hear me out."

"….Fine. You have one minute to try and convince me to talk to you."

"There is a completely logical answer to why I acted the way I did but it's not exactly something I can say over the phone. Are you doing anything tonight?"

"No, I'm not, but do you expect me to just forgive you and go somewhere with you?"

"No, and I understand if you don't want to hang out with me." I hesitated. He was pretty rude to me, and there's a lot of good reasons why I shouldn't hang out with him. He was a total jerk. But Part of me felt drawn to him and was eager to see him. I don't know why. I just felt this tug in my gut telling me to go meet him.

"I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and go with you to….where are we going?"

"It's a surprise. I'll pick you up. Is 4 okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine. See you then."

"Bye." I hung up and sighed. _Sokka is going to be so mad. _Turning of the TV, I got off the couch and went to go find Gran Gran. I figured if anyone was going to let me go, it would be her. Especially if it's a boy. She's always trying to get me to go on dates, saying I don't go out enough. I'm perfectly happy staying inside, thank you very much. Walking upstairs, I found her in the laundry room.

"Hey Gran Gran, do you mind if I go out with a friend tonight?"

"Sure. Who's the friend?" she asked anxiously. I inwardly groaned. I knew she would ask this question.

"I'm just going out with my friend Zuko, that's all. He's going to pick me up at 4." I tried not to flinch at her reaction.

"Finally your going on a date!" she squealed. "Would you like me to help you pick out what to wear? Or maybe I can help you do your hair so it looks all nice and-"

"Gran Gran, he doesn't have a car, he has a motorcycle. It would just get messed up on the way there." I could tell by the way she frowned that she was slightly disappointed.

"Okay then. You better go get ready. He'll be here in 30 minutes"

My eyes widening, I ran to my room to check the clock. Sure enough, it was 3:30. Rushing to my closet, I tore through it, throwing clothing this way and that looking for something to wear. Finally, I settled on my short denim shorts and my black Ba Sing Se University tank top, throwing my dark blue Aeropostale sweatshirt on over it. Hurrying out my bedroom, I turned the corner just to run face-first into Sokka's chest.

"Where are you in such a hurry to?" he asked accusingly.

"I'm going out with a friend. Wow Sokka, for someone who says he works out you chest is pretty soft", I said mockingly.

"Hey! I'll have you know that I can lift more than twice your weight! And who is this 'friend' you're going with?"

"I'm just going to go out with Zuko. Now if you would please-"

"Zuko! There's no way you're going with Zuko! I'm telling you, he's trouble!"

"Too bad Gran Gran already said yes. And you should really stop talking in one word sentences. It just makes you sound more stupid than you really are." Grinning with triumph, I skipped down the stairs and slipped on my Converse just as the doorbell rang. I opened it to find Zuko standing there, his shaggy black hair windswept, and a huge grin plastered on his face. Even with his scar, I had to admit to myself that he's pretty hot. _No he isn't! Snap out of it! You are not starting to have a crush on him!_

"Hey", he said smoothly. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah", I said as I walked out the door. "Ignore my brother, he can be a little paranoid sometimes."

"So I've noticed", he said, looking back to give the closed door a strange look as we climbed onto his motorcycle.

"So, where are we going?" I asked. He turned his head so my lips barely brushed his cheek and smiled slyly at me.

"You'll see." And with that he sped off down the road. I felt myself grip his waist so hard I was surprised that he could even breathe. As if he could hear my thoughts, he laughed. He sped up slightly, causing me to bury my face in his neck. The intoxicating scent of pine and cinnamon flooded my nose. Smiling, I inhaled deeply.

"Are you sniffing me?" he asked, sounding amused. I abruptly jerked back.

"No. I'm just scared", I said defensively.

"Well then you're in luck because we have reached our destination. Thank you for riding Agni airlines" he said in the mocking voice of a pilot. I giggled. Looking around us, I saw that we were on the edge of the forest near my neighborhood.

"Is this is?" I asked, confused. He shook his head and beckoned me to follow him into the forest. Hesitantly, I walked beside him, into the dense expanse of trees. As we walked, I thought the trees would never thin out, but after about five minutes they became more space in between each tree until we came to a clearing. I gasped. In the middle of the clearing was a beautiful lake, it's surface shimmering in the sunlight.

"I almost forgot this was here. I haven't been here since I was 10", I said.

"I like to come here to think. It's so peaceful. Come sit with me." He took a seat next to the lake and I sat beside him.

"I'm still waiting for that explanation you promised me", I prodded, crossing my arms and fixing him with my signature glare.

"I know. First let me start off by telling you who my father is. You've heard of Agni recording studios, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well the guy who owns it, Ozai Agni, is my dad."

"What?"

"And get this: the pop star Azula Agni is my sister. My dad is her manager."

"Ugh I hate her. She acts like such a slut", I said. My eyes widened as I realized what I said. "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry!"

He laughed. "It's okay. I don't really like her much. She hates me anyway."

"Oh. Well that still doesn't explain why you were being so mean. And why don't you live with your dad?"

"Let me get to that. My dad doesn't particularly like me at all. My little sister started as a child actor and after she got famous he practically just sent me off to live with my uncle."

"Okay. And if you don't mind me asking, where was your mom when all this happened?"

He looked down and started fiddling with his thumbs nervously. "When I was thirteen something…happened. My parent had this huge argument about it one night and she just drove off and left. The next morning they found her car in the lake. They never found her body thought." His voice was so low I had to strain to hear it.

"I'm so sorry Zuko. I can understand though. My mom died in a car accident when I was ten. What happened that made your parents fight?" I watched as he bit his bottom lip, as if contemplating what to say. After a while he finally looked up and looked me straight in the eyes.

"Katara, you should be scared of me" he said, his voice serious. "I've never gotten this close to anyone. I was a afraid they would find out. I'm surprised you haven't caught on yet, or even have suspicions."

"Zuko, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Think about it. Just sitting next to you I could smell your breath and tell you had pancakes. I could smell your shampoo. I had dog hair on my shirt and you saw for yourself that I don't have a dog. I thought the full moon thing would totally give me away."

"Oh, I get it. You're a vampire. I don't mind, as long as you don't suck my blood."

He face-palmed, leaving an angry red handprint on his forehead. "I really thought you were one of the only hot girls that were actually smart, Katara."

Suddenly it hit me. From the first day I had met him, I knew he was strange. His personality was always changing. He had smelled my shampoo even though I couldn't. He had dog hair on his shirt even though I knew he didn't have a dog. All of these things had logically explanations. There was one thing that put them all together, made it make sense: the wolf. He had the same piercing golden-brown eyes that I so easily get lost in.

"You're a werewolf", I said, my voice so soft I could barely hear it myself. "Did you not trust me to know?"

"No. It's just that I'm dangerous. I can't control what I do when I change. I could never forgive myself if I hurt you."

"Is this why your parents were fighting?"

He nodded. "On my mother's side of the family, they have a history of werewolves. But it's not very common, most times they're generations apart. I think the last one before me was during medieval times, at least. The change usually starts at around thirteen. When my dad found out he was furious. He thought I would ruin his business."

"Well your secret is safe with me", I said as I rested my hand on his knee and smiled at him. He smiled back at me. We sat in comfortable silence until something he said registered in my brain.

"So, you think I'm hot?" I had to restrain from laughing as his face paled when he realized what he said.

"Um, I'm sorry if-"

For the second time this week, he was cut off by his lips on mine. Again I didn't know what made me do it. It just felt right. The difference was that this time I didn't do it because Jet, and there wasn't a school full of kids around us. I did it because my heart told me to. It wasn't long before we were in 'make out mode'. Part of me yelled that I was stupid for kissing someone I only knew for a week, but the other part of me said whatever, I'd already kissed him once.

"My boyfriend Zuko, the werewolf. I could get used to that", I said when we pulled apart.

Laughing, we got up and walked over to his bike. We smiled and laughed until he pulled up to my house. With one last good bye kiss, I walked through the front door to face Sokka's wrath.

"So, how was your 'date'?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at my goofy grin.

"Perfect", I said as I bounded up the stairs.

"There better not have been any kissing! Kissing leads to babies!" I heard him say from behind me.

I laughed as I walked into my room and plopped on the bed. I sighed with content. "He's something special", I said to myself.

Zuko's POV

When I got home I was still smiling like an idiot.

"How was your afternoon?" Uncle Iroh asked as I walked past him on my way to the stairs.

"Great", I said.

Walking up the stairs, I went into the bathroom to take a shower. Staring in the mirror, I saw something shimmer on my neck. Looking closer I realized it was glitter. I couldn't help but laugh at loud.

"Are you okay?" I heard uncle ask.

"Yeah, I'm fine", I said as I reached over to turn off the water. _Couldn't be better._

**There you go! As a little thank you I put some in Zuko's pov. You know I couldn't resist putting that vampire thing in ;). You guys guessed right, he is a werewolf! And you know what that means: ZUTARA WEREWOLF BABIES! I know y'all want to press that little button down there that says 'review'. Give in, just like Katara did and I'll try to update sooner.**


	5. Looking Up

**A/N: Two words: SNOW DAY! First snow fall of the season. And it fell on a Friday so it's a three day weekend with 2 and a half days of school left until winter break. **

**Pieisdabeesknees- Thanks for telling everyone my name. I was trying to stay anonymous. And bring ice cream on Sunday, I got my braces tightened and my mouth hurts.**

**I don't own anything except the plot. I think -_-**

Katara's POV

_Monday morning_

I woke up smiling. Zuko and I were officially dating. I was the luckiest girl in the world. Now the only problem was how to tell Sokka. I knew he would flip out when I told him. Especially after what happened Friday. The best thing I could do was not tell him at all. Unfortunately, that plan would only last for so long. No doubt he'll find out within the next week from all the rumors. I scolded myself. I shouldn't start the morning off with negative thoughts. Getting out of bed, I threw on some clothes and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Walking downstairs, I found Sokka stuffing his face like always.

"Sokka, if you keep eating like that you're going to get heartburn", I said as I walked over to give Gran Gran a kiss on the cheek.

"And if you don't stop kissing boys you're going to turn dad into a grandpa", he retorted.

"Hey! I never say I kissed anyone, thank you very much", I snapped defensively.

"I guess your date went well Friday night?" asked Gran Gran and she smiled somewhat deviously at me.

"Gran Gran, I already told you it wasn't a date."

"That's what you always say", Sokka muttered under his breath. Munching on some toast, I thought about how I was lying to my family. Sokka didn't but me that much, but Gran Gran is a different story. Maybe I will tell her after I tell Sokka. If I tell Sokka.

Finishing my toast, I walked out the kitchen and to the front door, slipping n=on my shoes and grabbing my back pack as I went. Walking out the door, I smiled as I inhaled the sweet scent of the morning air. Walking down the sidewalk, I heard heavy breathing as Sokka came up from behind me.

"Why did you leave me? I never leave you!"

"Are you forgetting the time when I was 9 and you made me think I missed the bus?"

Pouting, he continued to walk beside me in silence, realizing that he wasn't going to win this fight. For once we actually reached the bus stop before the bus came, but that minute victory didn't last long. Not even a minute after I had the thought, the bus came to a slow stop in front of us. Climbing on, I smiled to see that Aang was back. Sitting in my normal seat, I rode in silence, too excited about seeing Zuko to talk. I ran off the bus when it pulled up to school, looking this way and that. When I finally spotted him, I ran over and practically jumped in his arms. He smiled.

"You act like you haven't seen me in years", he said, grinning down at me. I blushed.

"Sorry. I have a tendency to get over excited", I said shyly. He leaned down until his mouth was beside my ear.

"Well your cute when your excited", he whispered. I giggled uncharacteristically. Suddenly my eyes widened.

"Crap! We forgot to finish that assignment!"

"You mean this one?" he asked, pulling a brightly colored poster out of his bag.

"You finished it?"

"Yeah but we got most of it done the first day so it only took about 10 minutes to finish."

Smiling, we walked hand in hand down the halls. I could feel everyone's eyes on us but I didn't care. He walked me to my locker and stood there as I opened it.

"Don't you have to get stuff out of your locker?" I asked curiously.

"Nah, I've got all my stuff. Plus I'd rather be here."

My face turning red, I continued to rummage through my mess of a locker. Inside were multiple picture of Sokka and our friends. Mixed in were clippings of some of my favorite musicians like Paramore or Taylor Swift. There were even a few pictures of my dad. Zuko must have noticed because he suddenly took interest in a particular photo of Sokka, my dad, and me.

"Whose that?" he asked, pointing at my dad.

"That's my dad. He's overseas in the marines. I haven't seen him in years."

"Oh", he said quietly. As I closed my locker, I was about to turn around when he stopped me. "Wait I want to try something. Slowly he bent down and gave me a soft kiss. It lingered a little longer and I thought I had just taken a one way flight to la la land until I heard a familiar voice yelling behind me.

"Katara! What did I tell you Friday?" I turned around to my horror and came face to face with Sokka. "What is going on here?" Zuko and I shared a nervous glance before I finally decided to speak up.

"Zuko and I are dating", I said, trying to resist the urge to fall down into the fetal position.

"I can't even talk to you right now", Sokka said angrily. "We'll finish this conversation at home young lady." He turned on his heel and stormed down the hallway vehemently.

"What did he say Friday?" Zuko asked.

"Kissing leads to babies."

"That wouldn't be such a bad thing", he said, smirking at me. Laughing, I slapped him in the arm.

"Don't be a perv. We'll talk about this _after_ I get my ring." Walking hand in hand, we laughed until we reached the science room, blissfully unaware of a pair of eyes glaring at us from down the hall.

**Fluffy chapter with a not-so-fluffy ending. Bet you didn't see that coming. Just in case I don't update before Christmas, HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Your Christmas gift to me can be 40 reviews by the 25****th****. But you've got to click that little button.**


	6. Conspiracy

**A/N: I'm back! Sorry for the long wait. I got really sick a few days for Christmas, and then was out of time for a whole week. I have recently read the Hunger Games because **_**pieisdabeesknees **_**got me the trilogy for Christmas (best cousin ever) and they are AMAZING! You have to read the I've been super busy catching up on work I missed, but I've found some time to slip in a chapter that I've been itching to write. I want this chapter to be kind of long, but it might not. Thanks for all of the reviews! **

**If I owned ATLA do you really think I'd be on here right now?**

3rd person POV

The brown haired boy walked down the rain-soaked sidewalk in rage. He couldn't believe she would choose that _thing_ over him. It just didn't make sense. Something about him was odd, different. He found it unsettling to think of her wrapped in his arms, watching movies on the couch. Even though it was October, a month since they started dating, he was still angry about it. Somewhere buried underneath his flaming conscious was a voice that told him to just get over it. Move on. Just like they say, there are other fish in the sea. There are other girls. But he just couldn't. He didn't know why, but something about him sent his mind into overdrive every time he saw that boys face. The voice of reason inside him seemed so strong and realistic, he thought he could literally here it calling to him._ Hey, _it said. It called repeatedly, over and over again. Suddenly he realized it wasn't his conscious, but an actual voice outside of his head. He looked up to see a figure standing underneath the streetlamp, illuminating the darkness that came with the swiftly approaching twilight.

"Hey" it said. Walking closer, he recognized the boy. His slightly spiky short black hair was sprinkled with little drops of water, most likely from the previous rain. He wore a simple purple T-shirt underneath a black Volcom sweatshirt. On his feet were a tattered pair of Nikes.

"What do you want?" he spat at the black haired boy. He could already guess what he wanted before the words came out of his mouth.

"Nothing. I just want you to leave the two of them alone. He's a good person once you get to know him." The younger boy tries to reason with the older one who towers over him. He knows he could beat him to a pulp if he wanted to. Why he hadn't done it yet eluded him.

"Don't pretend you're happy about this. I know you think he's strange." The older boy can't believe that the kid actually came to try and reason with him. No one could change his mind, and he knew the boy was well aware of that fact, yet still he kept pushing on.

"Okay, yeah he's a little different. But he makes her happy. I haven't seen her frown once since they started dating."

"He can't be that innocent. There's no way. He has a secret, I know it. And I intend to find out just what exactly that secret is. And when I do, I'll find every way to use that against him." With that the brown haired boy pushes past him, giving him a slight shove before he leaves. Even after he's long gone, the younger boy just stands there, staring out into the woods surrounding the neighborhood. He couldn't let him hurt her boyfriend, even if he was a little odd. Long ago he had made a promise to himself that he would try and help everyone, no matter who they are. And that was a promise he intended to keep.

Katara's POV

"I throw my hands up in the air sometimes, singing ayo, baby let's go. I wanna celebrate and live my life singing ayo, gotta let go. 'Cause we gonna rock this club, we gonna go all night, we gonna light it up, like it's dynamite", I sing with Zuko, laughing as we dance around the kitchen at his uncle's teashop, which I learned is also a great place to hang out and enjoy a hot beverage. We're supposed to be baking sweets for this big party that his Uncle is hosting, but we got distracted when Zuko turned on his IPod speakers. I can't help but giggle when I look over and see that he has a glob of icing on his nose from our earlier mini food fight. I reach out my hand and use my finger to swipe some off then licking my finger clean. He tries to act angry but can't keep the small smile from tugging at his lips.

"I'll get you for that", he says threateningly, chasing me in small circles around the kitchen. He wraps his arms around my waist from behind and whispers "Gotcha."

After I admit defeat, he lets me go and we continue to bake batches of cookies. To keep ourselves from eating them, we try and keep a steady flow of conversation going between us, which isn't hard. When we aren't talking, we're singing at the top of our lungs, faces turning red from laughing at how out of pitch we are. I'm getting out the frosting for the cookies while he's putting the cake in when something stops him. He quickly sets the cake in the oven and closes it, standing up abruptly. By the way he's standing, body rigid and head cocked, I know something is wrong.

"What is it?" I ask tentatively.

"It's nothing. I just heard something that reminded of something else." He relaxes and turns to face me. I see him hesitate before he speaks again. "Me being a werewolf doesn't bug you? I mean, even I have to admit that I do strange things sometimes."

"It's fine. In fact, it makes you even cooler. As long as you don't bite me", I saw, referring to the incident where I snuck up on him. He was taking a nap and I thought it would be funny to freak him out a bit. Unfortunately, it had more affect than I intended and his werewolf instincts kicked in, making his first reflex be to bite whatever scared him. That day I learned that werewolves have very sharp teeth, even in human form. This comment causes Zuko to laugh.

"And what did little miss smarty pants learn that day?" he ask smugly.

"Never wake up a werewolf that is taking a nap." Walking over to the icing, we resume our work. I look over at the endless stack of cooking, wondering how in the world the two of us are going to finish this by tonight. It's already 2pm. We work in silence, and I find myself searching for something to talk about. Even though he brushed it aside, I knew something else was bothering him. Whatever it was he thought of. The thought is slightly unnerving because Zuko and my definitions of 'nothing' are very different. After a long debate, I finally decide to speak up.

"Zuko, what did it remind you of?" I ask.

"What?" he says, confusion written all over his face. His face then changes to one of reluctance, like one you would have when you realize you have to give a stubborn child a shot. One you have when you know it will be a hard task but have to find an easy approach. "Katara,-"

"Don't 'Katara' me."

"On the last full moon I thought I felt someone's presence. Not a human presence. Something else." He looked nervous enough to pee his pants.

"What was it?"

"That's what makes me uneasy. I don't know what it was. At first I thought it was another werewolf, but there was something off about it. It smelled….different. Not like any of the other wolves I've smelled."

"Oh", I said. A question that has been nagging begins to bubble up my throat, and before can stop it the words tumble out of my mouth. "How do you become a werewolf?" Part of me doesn't want to know the answer.

"That's sort of a tricky subject. Sometimes, like in my case, it's genetic. I have a history of werewolves in my family, I'm just the next generation. When it's genetic, a werewolf tends to be born into the family every few generations, even centuries. Having two generations of werewolves born back-to-back is extremely rare, although it does happen."

"And?" I ask, knowing there's something he isn't telling me.

"Other times, it's somewhat…..forced. Me and every werewolf I've ever met agree that this isn't anything we would ever willingly force upon someone. Being a werewolf isn't as glorious as it sounds. I'm even reluctant to have children because of it, knowing that there's a chance my child could become one. I could never watch them suffer the way I have." His face darkens."But accidents happen. We can control what we do when we're in wolf form. Some of us learn to think clearly when we change but even then it's hard. One little slip, that's all it takes. Any unfortunate being that is around us when we lose control in wolf form will be bitten and turned. And that's if they're lucky. Sometimes it's as if we've gone on a homicidal rampage, killing everything in our path. Showing no mercy….."

As he trails off I can see the pain in his eyes, hear them in his words. I reach out and wrap my arms around him, holding him in an embrace. As he wraps his arms around me, I feel him let go of all his grief, every regret he's ever had about every mistake he's made.

"I'm so sorry", I whisper into his ear. I don't know what else to say. No words of comfort could possibly ease the burden that rests on his shoulders. Nothing can reverse the effect of what happened generations ago. I know in my heart that he's probably bitten someone. That he lost control and did something he wishes he could take back with every ounce of his being.

After standing like this for what feels like forever, he pulls back. "Thank you", he says as he gazes into my eyes. Standing up on my tiptoes I give him a soft kiss.

"Your welcome. Now let's go frost some cookies."

Smiling we go back to our work and finish decorating the cookies. We finish within an hour, each cookie adorned with a carefully detailed flower. Hearing the timer go off, I remember we still aren't finish. As Zuko brings over the large red velvet cake, I can't help but bouncing up and down in excitement. Earlier in the day we had made dozens of small three dimensional flowers made of icing, which I quickly mastered after short instruction from Zuko, to go on the cake. As we place the final flowers over the snow white icing, I can't help but to step back and admire our work. It's a three tiered cake with a simple frosting job. Placed in clusters across the surface of the cake are beautiful lilies, each one perfectly detailed in yellow and orange icing. On the top tier is a 3D version of the teashop's, The Jasmine Dragon, logo. Made completely out of icing. The cake is simple yet elegant.

"It's perfect", I say as Zuko comes and wraps his arm around my shoulders. We stare and admire for a few more minutes until we head to the back room of the shop. There I find my dress. It's a simple strapless dress that is made from a sheer midnight blue fabric. It cinches under the bust and flows down to just above my knees. Around the hem are diamonds that glimmer every time I move. Zuko just had a dark red button up shirt with black slacks. Going to the bathroom, I changed and came out to find him changed as well. We're just about to set up the food when we here the chime that signals someone has come in. When we look over to see who it is, I feel my jaw drop in shock and disbelief. I know without looking that Zuko feels the same thing I do.

"It's been much too long. Don't you agree?"

**Cliffhanger! I bet you probably have a good guess who the brown haired boy is. Who was defending Zuko? And who is at the door? There's only one way to find out: REVIEW!**


	7. Whoa

**How long has it been? A long time? Yeah, sorry about that. I've been so busy it's not even funny. But here's the next chapter! **

"It's been much too long. Don't you agree?"

Azula Agni stood there, long black hair flowing over her shoulders and designer sunglasses pushed up on her head. She wore black skin tight jeans and a ruffled dark red top with a gold chain hanging from her neck. On her ears were matching earring that shimmered when they caught the light. Her skin was flawless, not a single blemish in sight. Both Zuko and I stood there for who knows how long, trying to decide what to do, waiting for someone to speak and break this everlasting silence. Every time I tried to speak no words came out, no matter how much I moved my mouth. Zuko appeared not to be trying at all; he just stood there glaring at her in pure hatred while she smirked back. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she finally spoke.

"Hello ZuZu. I see you finally got a girlfriend." That brought Zuko back to reality and he shook his head, refocusing.

"Why are you here?" he asked harshly. Azula just continued to grin.

"To live with you, of course", she stated simply. "Didn't Uncle tell you? Dad decided I should spend some time in regular school. He thinks I need to take a break and focus on education. So now I'm going to be going to your school."

"Stop joking around, Azula", he says sharply. "Tell me why you're really here."

"That's the truth. Honestly. Uncle was going to have me put away my stuff tonight but I _insisted _on coming here. I figured you would like some help with the party or whatever."

Zuko hesitated, eyeing her suspiciously before leading her back into the kitchen and telling her what to do. Glancing at the clock, I noticed that it was supposed to start in a half hour. Grabbing some plates and silverware, I hurried into the main room and started setting the tables. While doing that my thoughts wondered to Azula. Even though I had just met her, I could tell why Zuko disliked her. Just by the way she acted and spoke I could tell she was full of herself and not very trustworthy. Even I thought she lied about why she was here. My internal instincts told me to watch my back whenever she was around.

"She's the sister from hell."

I jump and turn around to see Zuko standing behind, smirking at my reaction. Raising the knife I had in my hand, I gave him my best 'I-have-a-knife-and-I'm-not-afraid-to-use-it' look. He just continued smirking. Smiling, I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face into his chest.

"Help me", I whimpered dramatically. "Your sister is going to kill me in my sleep tonight." He chuckled.

"That sounds like something she would do." He pulls away enough to look down at my face. "Be careful though. Just avoid her tonight. Whatever she says, don't believe it. She's always trying to find a way to make my life miserable. Or, more miserable then it already is."

I can't help but laugh as I pull away from him. I look up at the clock to see its 5:00 right as the first person walks in, followed by Iroh. He smiles at me before disappearing in the back room. I walk over to the guest and direct him where to go while Zuko finishes setting up the food. Not even a minute after I seat the first guest, more come in. They all seem to be people in their 40s or 50s, dressed in expensive looking clothes. I suddenly start to feel underdressed and a part of me panics. I'm about to start hyperventilating when I remind myself that I'm not a guest. Before I know it its 5:30 and Iroh comes out to give his speech, something about promoting his business, followed by the passing out food. For the next two hours I pick up plates and answer questions, all on various topics from the food to the shop itself. After a while I realize that the party is made up of business people who could promote the shop. Finally its 7:00 and all of the guest slowly flow out of the restaurant.

"I am so exhausted", says Zuko from his spot on the couch in the lounging area. "Those were some of the most annoying people I've ever met."

"When are stuffy business people not annoying?" I retort sarcastically. "With their fancy clothes and what not."

"Yeah, they're all like 'Look at my new cashmere sweater! Isn't in lovely?'", he says in a goofy accent. I crack up laughing so hard I almost fall out of me seat, causing a smile from Zuko.

"Hey, where's Azula?" I ask, noticing the absence of the she-devil. "We don't want her getting into any trouble."

"Who cares", he says, walking over and sitting next to me. "Now I can finally do this." He leans in but before he can kiss me there's a voice from behind us.

"Ew, go get a room." We turn around to see Azula come out of the backroom, wiping invisible dust off of her jeans. "Just because you finally got a girlfriend doesn't mean you have to flaunt it everywhere."

"Wow" I say incredulously. "You really are as annoying as he says." I struggle not to laugh at the look on her face. Too quickly she recovers, narrowing her eyes at me in suspicion.

"I personally think that any girl that dates my brother is a total freak. I was going to be nice to you and give you the benefit of the doubt but now you can forget about it. You're not as normal as you look." With that she stomps towards the door and out into the setting sun. I turn to Zuko.

"I don't think she's annoying. She's absolutely _hilarious_."

We both burst into a fit of laughter. Every time we try to stop we look at each other and end up laughing harder. At one point I laugh so hard I fall out my seat and onto the floor. Zuko tried to help me up, but he's laughing so hard he falls down beside me. We sit there for what seems like forever, rolling around the floor in laughter until we finally calm down enough to get words out.

"I don't think I've ever laugh this hard in my life", says Zuko, completely out of breath. "I feel like my head is about to explode from lack of oxygen."

"Same here", I respond. "Last one to the kitchen has to wash the dishes." Getting up, I race to the kitchen but Zuko is right behind me and we end up getting there at the same time.

"It's a tie", he says slyly. "Now what does that mean?"

"It means I get to dry the dishes", I reply back in the same tone, grabbing the dish towel. "You don't have to worry about ruining your manicure."

"Now you're starting to sound like my sister", Zuko says as he begins to wash a dish.

For the next few hours we wash dishes and sweep floors until every corner of the room is spotless. After going to the backroom to tell Iroh we've finished, we walk outside to Zuko's motorcycle and ride off into the night. I close my eyes as I feel the rushing wind hit my face and blow back my hair. Despite the fact that I'm about to pass out from exhaustion, I wish the night would never end. But ever too soon we reach my house. With one last kiss goodnight, Zuko zooms down the street. Walking up to my front door, I take one last look at the stars before stepping inside. Noticing the house is completely quite, I creep upstairs and into my room. Slipping on my pajamas, I climb into bed. Zuko's beautiful face is the last thing I see before I fall asleep.

**I had fun writing Azula ;) Review!**


	8. Bulletproof Heart

**A/N: I'm so sorry about the long wait! I've been super busy. I know how I'm going to end the story, but I'm not sure what to put in between there. So the chapters might take longer to upload. On with the chapter!**

**Sadly, I don't own Avatar.**

Katara's POV

I woke up Sunday morning to the sound of my phone ringing on my nightstand. Groaning, I roll over on my side to pick up the phone. Glancing at the screen, I notice it's 6 am. Seeing that it's Toph who's calling me, I instantly panic. What could be so important that she would have to call me this early in the morning? "Hello?" I say into the receiver.

"Katara!" Toph's frightened voice answers. "Something's wrong with Aang! My parents are out of town and last night he came over to watch a movie with me and we both fell asleep. When I woke up this morning I tried to wake him up but he wouldn't. He looks really pale but I don't think he has a fever."

"Whoa, slow down. I'll be there as soon as I can." Hanging up the phone, I jumped out of bed and ran toward my closet, throwing open the doors. Flipping through my clothes, I throw on a pair of sweatpants and a graphic tee. Running out of my room and zipping down the stairs. Wandering the kitchen, I search around for the post-it notes and write a not to Gran Gran and Sokka, sticking it on the fridge. That's always the first place Sokka goes in the morning. Flying out the door, I stop when I realize I'll have to walk to her house. Sighing I begin the 10 minute walk, every step making me more nervous than the rest.

By the time I get to Toph's house, I'm practically sprinting. Throwing open the doors, I hurry into the living room where I know they'll be. I stop in my tracks when I see what's there. Lying on the couch is Aang, passed out cold. His face is clammy and so pale I almost didn't recognize him. His forehead is beaded with sweat. I feel like I'm having some horrible dream, it's such a strange sight. Aang almost never gets sick, and even then it's nothing more than a little cold. I barely have time to recover from the shock of seeing him before Toph walks in.

"Katara, you're here!" she exclaims, her face flooding with relief. "I thought you'd never get here. I can't figure out what's wrong with him!"

"Why didn't you call 911 or something?" I ask, confused. She sighs.

"I didn't know if it was serious or not. I called you because you were the first person I thought could help me. You usually know what to do." Looking in her eyes, I can see the tears threatening to fall. Stepping forward, I carefully wrap her in a warm embrace.

"It'll be okay, Toph. Let me see him." Kneeling next to the couch, I press my hand to Aang's forehead. I pull back almost immediately, startled by how cold it his. For the next 5 minutes, I check all of his vitals and do everything a doctor would. I'm about to give up when I notice something odd. I think I know exactly what's wrong with him, but there's no way to know for sure. Then, like a lightning bolt, it hits me. Standing up, I look over at Toph. "I think I know what's wrong with him, but I need to make a phone call, just to be sure."

**Sorry it's so short! At least it's not a filler chapter though.**


	9. Two is Better than One

**A/N: Sorry about the really long wait! I've been so busy with school and other matters that I haven't had time to write, even though I really wanted to. Thank you for all the reviews and here's chapter 9!**

Katara's POV

I sighed with relief when I finally heard Zuko's motorcycle pull up in Toph's driveway. I had called him after I looked at Aang. I had a theory, but I needed him to confirm it. I desperately hoped I was wrong.

Hearing him knock on the door shook me from my thoughts as I walked over to open it. My first thought when I lay eyes on him is that he looks exhausted. There are small bags under his eyes and his face looks pale with sleep deprivation. His hair is frizzy in the back, like someone had vigorously rubbed a blanket against it. "What happened?" I asked in disbelief.

"One word: Azula. It's hard to sleep knowing that she's in the house," he said as he walked into the foyer. He whistled. "This is a nice place Toph has here."

"I know. Come on, Aang's over here." Taking his hand, I lead him into the living room. Aang is still lying unconscious on the couch, possibly looking worse than when I checked him, while Toph kneels on her knees next to him, holding his hand. I turn to Zuko. "I think I know what's wrong with him, but I need you to check first."

Without even voicing my theory, I could tell by the way he nodded and walked towards him that he understood. Toph scooted over as Zuko kneeled down in front of Aang. We waited anxiously as we watched him check over Aang meticulously. I noticed his eyes widen considerably when he sees the source for my unstated theory. Sighing, he stands up and looks over at Toph and me.

"You were right Katara," he says softly.

"What was she right about?" Toph asked, whipping her head back and forth between me and Zuko. "Do you know what's wrong with him?" she asked me, looking me straight in the eyes. I nod. She turns her head towards Zuko. "Well are you going to tell me or not?" Zuko and I share a quick glance, silently debating on what we should do.

"She's going to find out eventually, Zuko," I said. He looks at Toph.

"You might want to sit down for this," he says to Toph. He waits for her to take a seat on the edge of the couch before continuing. "Well, first of all, I'm a werewolf." Toph opens her mouth to speak, but Zuko raises a hand to silence her. "Katara already knows. She's known since the first week I met her. But you can't tell anyone else, okay? Second, for some unknown reason, Aang has turned into a werewolf. It has to have been pretty recent because this whole 'sick' business only happens in the first couple of months. It's normal though, so don't worry. He's just really exhausted. Trust me it takes a while to get used to."

Toph stares at us unbelievingly. I can tell by the look in her eyes that she's trying to tell whether or not we're just pulling a prank on her. Finally, she says, "How could you tell?"

"His teeth are sharper and pointier," I answer. "He also has dog hair on him, and we both know he doesn't have a dog." She nods her head in shock, her eyes focusing on something in the distance behind me. The three of us sit there like that, in complete silence, until we hear a soft groan coming from the couch. Whipping my head towards the noise, I see Aang stir, opening his eyes a bit.

"Toph?" he croaks out. She immediately reaches out and grabs his hand, telling him she's right there. Hesitantly, Zuko scoots closer to Aang.

"Aang," he said, "I assume you know you're a werewolf. You're probably scared, but don't be. I'm one too, but when it first happened to me I didn't have anyone to help me through it. I promise I'll be there for you, but I need to know how this happened. It's extremely important." Aang opens his eyes fully, sitting up so he's not lying down completely.

"I'm sorry. I don't really remember much. All I know is that I couldn't sleep one night last month so I went on a walk through the forest behind my house. It always makes me feel better. It was around 1 am. I heard something in the bushes, but I figured it was just a rabbit or something so I kept walking. A few minutes later something hit me from behind and I was knocked unconscious. Next thing I know I'm walking up sprawled on the ground, the sun peeking in behind the trees. When I see that I'm not hurt or anything, just a little sore, I walked back to my house like nothing ever happened. I didn't tell anyone because I figured it was no big deal." By this point Aang looks pretty shaken and Zuko's forehead is creased in worry. Taking a deep breath Aang continued with his story. "But then, about a week ago, it was the full moon and…. well, you probably know what happened from there. Since then I've just been really tired and feeling a little under the weather. I thought I just had a small cold."

Zuko snorted. "Well this is one weird cold," he said sarcastically, trying to lighten the mood. I laughed; it even caused Aang to crack a little smile. Zuko turns back to Aang. "You need your rest. Go back to sleep. The three of us will be in the kitchen if you need anything." Nodding, Aang quickly fell asleep before we even made it out the room.

As soon as we walk into the kitchen, I turn towards Zuko. "Aang got bit", I said. Zuko nodded grimly.

"I don't think I even need to tell you what that means and how bad it is." He replied. I look carefully between Zuko and Toph before saying the one thing that's on my mind.

"There's another werewolf."

**Sorry this was kind of short. I promise the next chapter will be longer!**


	10. That's What You Get

**A/N: I have absolutely no excuse for not updating in so long except for the fact that life's been crazy and I lost my muse, but luckily school ends next week which means more updates! Yay!**

Katara's POV

As I walked out of school on Friday, I sighed in relief. This had been probably one of the hardest weeks in my life. On top of finding out Aang was a werewolf, Azula had been making things so much harder. When she first walked into school on Monday, the hallways were complete chaos. People followed her around everywhere, asking for asking for autograph's, if she knew any celebrities, and basically trying to befriend her to raise their social status. The only good thing that's happened since last Sunday is that everyone's so focused on Azula, they haven't stop to think and wonder why her and Zuko have the same last name. I don't even think anyone's realized that, maybe the teachers, but if they have they haven't said anything. The longer their ignorant is probably better anyone, God knows what will happen when they do. There's no way to know if there'll be a positive or negative reaction.

On top of that, I've been thinking about Aang nonstop. Though he seems to be adjusting to being a werewolf fairly well, I can tell that it's affecting him more than he shows. I can only imagine what he's going through. And I can't even begin fathom who the other werewolf be. At first I wondered if it could be Zuko, but when he said he'd felt another werewolf's presence, I immediately dismissed that thought. Plus there's no way it could be Zuko, he takes precautions just so this sort of this doesn't happen. Even still, the prospect of there being even more than 1 werewolf was not a good thing, especially if they seemed to be uncontrolled. All week Zuko had been helping Aang get used to being a werewolf, telling him how he needed to be careful about where he went on full moons. I couldn't help but smile at how much closer they've grown because of this, even if it isn't under the greatest circumstances.

I was shaken from my thoughts when I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. Turning around, I smiled when I saw Zuko standing there, but it quickly disappeared when I saw the look on his face. It was one of worry, and his forehead was slightly creased, as if he was on pain.

"What's wrong?" I immediately asked, fearing the worse. He looked around to make sure no one was listening before pulling me aside.

"Have you heard what Azula's doing?" he asked, a tinge of unmistakable anger in his voice. I shook my head. "She's throwing a _party._ On _Halloween._ At our _house._"

I was about to retort, saying he was being slightly irrational, when I saw the look in his eyes. I instantly knew there was something I was forgetting. Something important was going to happen on Halloween, something I should know. Think hard, my eyes widen in shock when I realized exactly what was happening on Halloween. _Oh, no._

"You see why I'm mad?" he said indignantly after seeing that I remembered. "She knows it's the full moon, I _know _she did this just to psyche me out. And it worked, very well. What do I do? Normally I just sit in the backyard until I start the transformation, but I can't do that if there are people at the house. How weird would it look if I just went outside and stood there?"

"Look," I said, taking a deep, calming breath, "we'll figure something out later. Can we please just relax? It's Friday and I've had a long week and I really don't need anything else to worry about right now."

Nodding, we began to make our way over the buses since he was riding with me today, when I suddenly stopped. Pulling his arm gently, I pointed over to a shady corner of the parking lot where a few groups of students were standing, but there were to people in particular that I was looking at. Following my line of vision, I felt Zuko tense beside me. Standing there were Azula and Jet, conversing in hushed tones and looking like they didn't want to be seen together, which was a feat in itself since they both craved attention. Seeing them together like this was unsettling; who knew what type of things those two could think up? By the looks on their faces we both could tell that something wasn't right. Exchanging worried glances, we continued on the path to the bus, and I could tell we were both thinking the same thing: There was definitely more to this party then we thought. The question is, what?

**It's short I know. But who knows, maybe if I get some reviews, even though you guys probably hate me, the next one might be longer. *wink, wink***


	11. Famous Last Words

**A/N: I now present to you, the 1,544 words of chapter 11! I'm feeling particularly happy today, due to quite a few things (including the news of my awesome exam scores) and felt well enough to add another chapter, considerably longer than the last one. Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews!**

Saturday morning, I got out of bed reluctantly, unsatisfied with the amount of sleep I had gotten the night before. There's was absolutely too much on my mind to sleep, too much to do anything. Every time I thought of what Zuko and I had seen yesterday afternoon, worry seeped down into my stomach, nauseating me. What were Azula and Jet up to? There was always the idea that they really weren't up to anything suspicious, though that was highly unlikely. Especially with the full moon being the night of the party, which unsurprising was on Halloween. It couldn't be a coincidence, what with it being Aang's first full moon with Zuko. But above all the problems on my mind, the most unsettling of them all was that somehow, someway, I knew they were related. It was just a feeling that I had about the whole situation, that somehow Aang suddenly becoming a werewolf was connected to the party Azula was throwing and how it was on the full moon.

The thought had occurred to me the day before during the silent bus ride home yesterday, but I was too scared to mention it to Zuko. I felt immensely guilty about it, but I just couldn't bring myself to say it. I was terrified that I would be right, yet scared that I would come off paranoid. I had shook my head and tried to tell myself that I was being silly, but the notion just wouldn't go away. It just all seemed much too plausible for me to ignore.

Deciding that I would tell Zuko about it later today, I walked down the hall with my mind at ease about my decision. Brushing me teeth and taking a quick shower, I hurried back to my room and threw open my closet. Instantly I was met with the one question every girl dreads: what do you wear when you don't have a clue what you're actually going to be doing? I hadn't made any plans with anyone, and my Sokka was going to be out all day, playing lacrosse at the park with some of his friends. Sighing, I finally pulled out my favorite pair of jeans that were soft and worn with a hole in the knee an olive green Aeropostale polo shirt. After I'd gotten dressed, I sighed and flopped onto the bed, realizing that this would be the perfect time to call Zuko but for once, not exactly eager to do so. Picking up my phone, I dialed his number and nervously waited. After the third ring, he picked up.

"Hello?" he said, his voiced sounding nasally, like he had a cold.

"Are you okay?" I questioned concern evident in my voice. He wasn't one for getting sick, and I don't think he every missed a day of school when it wasn't around the full moon.

"Yeah, I just have a bit of a cold. So, why exactly did you feel the need to call at such an ungodly hour?"

Alarmed with the fear I had called early in the morning, my head darted toward the clock on my nightstand, only to relax again when I saw it was 11. "It's 11, Zuko, most normal people are up by now. Oh wait, I forgot, you're not normal." I could practically hear him roll his eyes at my comment.

"Normalcy is overrated," he said indignantly. "But seriously, what did you call me about?" Swallowing the lump that had suddenly formed in my throat, I took a deep breath and began to speak.

"I think whatever's going on between Azula and Jet is related to Aang becoming a werewolf."

I was met with silence. I had even thought he'd hung up before I heard his sigh exhaustedly, like he was trying to explain something to a small child who just didn't seem to understand. I was about to start defending myself, saying it was nothing and I was being silly, when he began to speak.

"I'm relieved to see that I'm not crazy for being the only one to think that," he stated, though he didn't sound very relieved at all. "It's a great theory, but there's a big problem: we have absolutely no clue how they're related. I'm not saying they're completely coincidental; if fact I'm saying almost the complete opposite, but we still need to know how. Otherwise, there isn't any substance to this hypothesis."

"Yes, I'm aware of this. Although you saying just gave me what we need to make this idea concrete. We need to spy on Azula." I could practically hear his jaw drop in disbelief. Hearing him take a deep breath, preparing for his lengthy protest, I continued to speak. "Think about it; even though by doing this we're probably posing a serious risk to our mental health, it would be so easy for us to gain access to her private life that we would barely run the risk of us getting caught. With me being at your house so frequently and you actually _living _ with her, we could accomplish so much and it wouldn't even look suspicious. It would be the complete opposite." My argument was met with silence, and I inwardly squealed with joy; silence meant that he was thinking. He may not agree with me, but he wasn't immediately oppose to the idea. After what felt like hours, he finally spoke.

"I see your point and I can't help but agree that this is the opportune time for us to put the plan in action. I'm still a little unsure about the risk though. Getting caught by Azula would affect _way_ more than our mental health."

I couldn't help but laugh at his statement. Even in the most serious of times, Zuko always managed to make the situation seem completely lighthearted and casual, as if it was something you would do everyday.

"So does that mean you agree?" I asked hopefully.

"Don't get to happy now," he said in mock warning. "I'll try it, but I'm not saying I agree with it. Being her brother, I have much more than to be scared of than you do."

Beaming, I talked with him for a little more until he had to go, saying that he was hungry and hadn't eaten breakfast yet. Laughing, I hung up the phone and flopped back onto my bed, sighing, but this time in contempt. It was amazing how quickly I went from being worried out of my mind to completely calm. Well, almost completely.

Hearing my stomach grumble, I realized I still hadn't eaten and skipped down the stairs and down into the kitchen. Noticing the absence of Gran Gran, I briefly worried about where she was before shaking it off, figuring she was just taking a nap. Pouring myself a bowl of cereal, I began to shove spoonfuls into my mouth greedily. Feeling my phone vibrate in my back pocket, I pulled out my phone, thinking it was just a text from Sokka saying he'd forgotten something and laughing at how lacrosse was the only way he'd get up before me, before I stopped. On the screen it said "unknown number". Anxiously opening the text, I instantly spit out the cereal that had been in my mouth as I read what it said.

_You and your boyfriend need to keep your noses out of other people's business._

Who _was_ this? I quickly ran the mental list of people who would have any type of grudge against me, but I couldn't think of any possible people. I seldom made enemies, and when I did they were minor, a little school yard bully. Nothing like this, not someone who was angry enough to send a text that had an invisible threat at the end, one where you knew there was an unspoken _or else _at the end. For second I thought it could be Azula, but quickly dismissed that thought. I didn't doubt she could somehow get my number off of Zuko's phone, but what would she have against me? I'd only known her for a week, and I'd only ever spoken to her once. The only way she could have any motivation to tell us to mind our own business was if she knew we were going to spy on her. But that was impossible, there's no way she could've heard the conversation Zuko and I had just had only moments before. I knew Zuko well enough to know that if Azula was somewhere she might be able to overhear something she shouldn't, he would make sure that he would be careful about what he said and try and prevent her from hearing it.

Suddenly losing my appetite, I put my bowl in the sink and walked back to my bedroom, hearing my grandmother's snores as I walked past her room. As I walked into my room and took out a book to read, I was plagued with what ifs. What if she did know about us spying on her? What if she was going to harm us if we tried? What if she knew something we didn't? What if she was behind all of the strange occurrences? Worst of all, _what if it isn't even her at all?_


End file.
